Los Angeles Kings are starting to make offseason moves

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are still underway for other teams, but the Los Angeles Kings are already making shockwaves in their offseason.

After a tumultuous beginning post season where the Los Angeles Kings fired the general manager and coach that lead them to their first two Stanley Cups in franchise history, the new brain trust of the president of hockey operations Luc Robitaille and general manager Rob Blake have begun to make off-season moves to fix the teams problems.

The first move made was trading the rights of goalie Ben Bishop to the Dallas Stars for a 4th round draft pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. Bishop came to the Kings in a much-questioned trade by former GM Dean Lombardi. At the time the Kings were in serious need of scoring and trading for a goalie who was meant to be an unrestricted free agent in the off-season.

Bishop was never going to seriously remain apart of the Kings, he wanted to be a starter again and with Jonathan Quick on the team that was going to happen. With another pick in the draft, the Kings can add some depth and youth to their system as they try to replenish a depleted farm system.

The other move made by the Kings on Tuesday solidified their current roster as they re-signed forward Tanner Pearson to a four-year contract worth $3.75 million annually. Pearson was rewarded after setting career highs in goals (24) and points (44), game-winning goals (five), power-play goals (three), shorthanded goals (one) and short-handed points (two).

Pearson at 24 already has a Stanley Cup ring from 2014 and has shown both skill and speed that’s needed in the new faster paced NHL. By signing now Pearson and the Kings avoided protracted negotiations that could have occurred if Pearson became a free agent after July 1st.

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Pearson’s status on the second line with Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli is solid and it’s been the most productive line for the Kings since 2014, If the Kings wanted to keep the line intact then signing Pearson was paramount. There is another signing needed as well.

Toffoli is now the Kings big target, and it’s been indicated that talks are in their preliminary stage. Like Pearson, the Kings are hoping to get the deal done soon so they can avoid Toffoli becoming a free agent after July 1st. He would be restricted free agent meaning the Kings can match offers made by teams. The risk though is having to overpay to match an offer.

Toffoli struggled this past season after scoring a career-high 32 goals in 2015-16, his 34 points was his lowest total since his rookie year and he missed 20 games due to a knee injury. Toffoli is going to be a more expensive option as he will be looking for a raise on his 3.25 million annual salary.

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I suspect the Los Angeles Kings will do everything to keep Toffoli and will see this year’s ineffectiveness due to injury, but the deal needs to get done sooner rather than later. These are just the first moves of a long off-season for the King, and for now, they are on the right track.

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